Harbhajan Singh bagged four quick wickets in a magnificent spell to put Sri Lanka under pressure in the second Test against India yesterday.
The off-spinner (4-71) removed well-set Kumar Sangakkara and Malinda Warnapura in successive overs before Sri Lanka struggled to reach 215-5 in their first innings at stumps in reply to India’s 329 on the second day.
Sangakkara (68) and Warnapura (66) helped Sri Lanka overcome the third-ball dismissal of Michael Vandort with a 133-run stand for the second wicket before Harbhajan struck to restore India’s fortunes on a spinners’ day.
PHOTO: AP
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 46 and Prasanna Jayawardene on five not out at the close of play.
“We are in a good position to control the match tomorrow,” Harbhajan said. We have to repeat our performance, take catches and bowl in the right areas as we did today. If we take a couple of early wickets, the tail will start. We are happy with our efforts today, but it would have been nice to get more runs in the first innings.”
India were bowled out on the stroke of lunch after resuming at 214-4, with explosive opener Virender Sehwag (201 not out) becoming only the second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to carry his bat through the innings.
Sehwag also became the 10th Indian to complete 5,000 Test runs during his fifth score of 200 and more, including two triple-centuries. He hit four sixes and 22 fours in his 231-ball knock.
The Indian batsmen, especially Sehwag, were involved in an engrossing duel with Sri Lanka’s unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis (6-117), who took a maiden haul of five or more wickets in an innings in only his second Test.
Sri Lanka then got a dose of their own medicine as they were jolted by Harbhajan, who had Warnapura caught by Gautam Gambhir at short point and then held a return catch to account for Sangakkara.
Sri Lanka lead 1-0 in the three-Test series after winning the opening match by an innings and 239 runs in Colombo.
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